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1409 cid Clinical Infectious Diseases: An Official Publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America Clin Infect Dis Oxford University Press PMC7486838 7486838 7486838 31802125 10.1093/cid/ciz1008 Revision and Update of the Consensus Definitions of Invasive Fungal Disease From the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer and the Mycoses Study Group Education and Research Consortium Donnelly J Peter 1 ✉ Chen Sharon C 2 Kauffman Carol A 3 Steinbach William J 4 Baddley John W 5 Verweij Paul E 6 Clancy Cornelius J 7 Wingard John R 8 Lockhart Shawn R 9 Groll Andreas H 10 Sorrell Tania C 11 Bassetti Matteo 12 Akan Hamdi 13 Alexander Barbara D 14 Andes David 15 Azoulay Elie 16 Bialek Ralf 17 Bradsher Robert W Jr 18 Bretagne Stephane 19 Calandra Thierry 20 Caliendo Angela M 21 Castagnola Elio 22 Cruciani Mario 23 Cuenca-Estrella Manuel 24 Decker Catherine F 25 Desai Sujal R 26 Fisher Brian 27 Harrison Thomas 28 Heussel Claus Peter 29 Jensen Henrik E 30 Kibbler Christopher C 31 Kontoyiannis Dimitrios P 32 Kullberg Bart-Jan 33 Lagrou Katrien 34 Lamoth Frédéric 35 Lehrnbecher Thomas 36 Loeffler Jurgen 37 Lortholary Olivier 38 Maertens Johan 39 62 Marchetti Oscar 20 Marr Kieren A 40 Masur Henry 41 Meis Jacques F 42 Morrisey C Orla 43 Nucci Marcio 44 Ostrosky-Zeichner Luis 45 Pagano Livio 46 Patterson Thomas F 47 Perfect John R 14 Racil Zdenek 48 Roilides Emmanuel 49 Ruhnke Marcus 50 Prokop Cornelia Schaefer 51 Shoham Shmuel 40 Slavin Monica A 52 Stevens David A 53 64 Thompson George R III 54 Vazquez Jose A 55 Viscoli Claudio 56 Walsh Thomas J 57 Warris Adilia 58 Wheat L Joseph 59 White P Lewis 60 Zaoutis Theoklis E 61 Pappas Peter G 5 1 Department of Hematology, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands 2 Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Laboratory Services, Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research, Westmead Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia 3 Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Michigan, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA 4 Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA 5 Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA 6 Center of Expertise in Mycology Radboudumc/CWZ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands 7 University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, USA 8 Department of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA 9 Mycotic Diseases Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA 10 Infectious Disease Research Program, Center for Bone Marrow Transplantation and Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology University Children’s Hospital, Münster, Germany 11 University of Sydney, Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases & Biosecurity, University of Sydney School of Medicine Faculty of Medicine and Health, Westmead Institute for Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia 12 Infectious Disease Clinic, Department of Medicine University of Udine and Department of Health Sciences, DISSAL, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy 13 Ankara University, Faculty of Medicine, Cebeci Campus, Hematology Clinical Research Unit, Ankara, Turkey 14 Department of Medicine and Division of Infectious Diseases, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA 15 Division of Infectious Diseases, Departments of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology School of Medicine and Public Health and School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA 16 Médicine Intensive et Réanimation Hôpital Saint-Louis, APHP, Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France 17 Molecular Diagnostics of Infectious Diseases, Microbiology, LADR Zentrallabor Dr. Kramer & Kollegen, Geesthacht, Germany 18 Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA 19 Institut Pasteur, Molecular Mycology Unit, CNRS UMR2000, Mycology Laboratory, Saint-Louis Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Université de Paris, Paris, France 20 Infectious Diseases Service, Department of Medicine, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland 21 Department of Medicine, Alpert Warren Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA 22 Infectious Diseases Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genova, Italy 23 Infectious Diseases Unit, G. Fracastoro Hospital, San Bonifacio, Verona, Italy 24 Spanish National Centre for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain 25 Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, USA 26 National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, the Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK 27 Pediatric Infectious Diseases Division at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA 28 Centre for Global Health, Institute for Infection and Immunity, St Georges University of London, London, UK 29 Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Translational Lung Research Center and Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology with Nuclear Medicine, Thoraxklinik Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany 30 Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark 31 Centre for Medical Microbiology, University College London, London, UK 32 UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA 33 Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases and Department of Medicine, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands 34 Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation and Department of Laboratory Medicine and National Reference Centre for Mycosis, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium 35 Infectious Diseases Service, Department of Medicine and Institute of Microbiology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland 36 Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany 37 Molecular Biology and Infection, Medical Hospital II, WÜ4i, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany 38 Paris University, Necker Pasteur Center for Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, IHU Imagine & Institut Pasteur, Molecular Mycology Unit, CNRS UMR 2000, Paris, France 39 Department of Hematology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium 62 Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, K.U. Leuven, Leuven, Belgium 40 Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School 41 Critical Care Medicine Department NIH-Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA 42 Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases and Centre of Expertise in Mycology Radboudumc/Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands 43 Alfred Health and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia 44 Department of Internal Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 45 Division of Infectious Diseases, McGovern Medical School, Houston, Texas, USA 46 Istituto di Ematologia, Università Cattolica S. Cuore, Rome, Italy 47 UT Health San Antonio and South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, Texas, USA 48 Department of Internal Medicine–Hematology and Oncology, Masaryk University and University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic 49 Infectious Diseases Unit, 3rd Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Aristotle University School of Health Sciences, Hippokration General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece 50 Department of Hematology & Oncology, Lukas Hospital, Buende, Germany 51 Meander Medical Center Amersfoort and Radiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands 52 Department of Infectious Diseases, Peter MacCallum Cancer Center and the National Centre for Infections in Cancer, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 53 Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, California 64 California Institute for Medical Research, San Jose, California, USA 54 Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, California, USA 55 Division of Infectious Diseases, Medical College of Georgia/Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA 56 Division of Infectious Disease, University of Genova and San Martino University Hospital, Genova, Italy 57 Weill Cornell Medicine of Cornell University, Departments of Medicine, Pediatrics, Microbiology & Immunology, New York, New York, USA 58 MRC Centre for Medical Mycology at the University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK 59 MiraVista Diagnostics, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA 60 Public Health Wales Mycology Reference Laboratory, University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff, UK 61 Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Roberts Center for Pediatric Research, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ✉ Correspondence: J. P. Donnelly, De Hoefkamp 1096, 6545 MD Nijmegen, The Netherlands ( p.donnelly@usa.net ).
5 12 2019 71 6 1367 1367–1376 15 9 2020 © The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ), which permits unrestricted reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. See " Defining Invasive Fungal Diseases for Clinical Research: A Work in Progress. " with doi: 10.1093/cid/ciz1013. Abstract
Background
Invasive fungal diseases (IFDs) remain important causes of morbidity and mortality. alternativesThe consensus definitions of the Infectious Diseases Group of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer and the Mycoses Study Group have been of immense value to researchers who conduct clinical trials of antifungals, assess diagnostic tests, and undertake epidemiologic studies. However, their utility has not extended beyond patients with cancer or recipients of stem cell or solid organ transplants. With newer diagnostic techniques available, it was clear that an update of these definitions was essential.
Methods
alternativescontent_tagsTo achieve this, 10 working groups looked closely at imaging, laboratory diagnosis, and special populations at risk of IFD. A final version of the manuscript was agreed upon after the groups’ findings were presented at a scientific symposium and after a 3-month period for public comment. There were several rounds of discussion before a final version of the manuscript was approved.
Results
object_of_studymechanismssensesclaim_relationscontent_tagsThere is no change in the classifications of “proven,” “probable,” and “possible” IFD, although the definition of “probable” has been expanded and the scope of the category “possible” has been diminished. sensescontent_tagsThe category of proven IFD can apply to any patient, regardless of whether the patient is immunocompromised. The probable and possible categories are proposed for immunocompromised patients only, except for endemic mycoses.
Conclusions
alternativesThese updated definitions of IFDs should prove applicable in clinical, diagnostic, and epidemiologic research of a broader range of patients at high-risk.
Keywords: consensus, definitions, invasive fungal diseases, diagnosis, research
contributionconcepts↗concepts↗concept_edgesEuropean Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer and the Mycoses Study Group definitions for probable invasive fungal disease now include solid organ transplant, hematologic malignancy, graft-versus-host disease, the reverse halo sign, revised thresholds for galactomannan, Aspergillus polymerase chain reaction, and definitions for candidiasis, cryptococcosis, non-human immunodeficiency viirus–associated pneumocystosis, and endemic mycoses.
status released display-pdf yes is-olf no is-manuscript no is-preprint no is-journal-matter no is-scanned no is-retracted no Received 2019 May 27; Accepted 2019 Oct 8; Collection date 2020 Sep 15.
( See the Editorial Commentary by Rogers on pages 1377–8 .)
The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer and the Mycoses Study Group Education and Research Consortium (EORTC/MSGERC) consensus definitions of invasive fungal diseases (IFDs) were last updated in 2008 [ 1 ]. These definitions achieved their original aim in fostering communication and enabling comparison of study findings among those engaged in research into IFD of patients with cancer and recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCTs) or solid organ transplants (SOTs) [ 2 , 3 ]. Moreover, they have been adopted by regulatory agencies for evaluation of antifungals and have been used to evaluate diagnostic tests and to conduct epidemiologic studies [ 4–7 ]. claim_typemechanismsclaim_relationscontent_tagsImportantly, these definitions are specifically intended for these purposes only and not to direct or guide patient care.
research_questionlimitationsclaim_relationsThe 2008 definitions had their shortcomings, including the facts that the definitions were unsuitable for patients with IFD in the setting of intensive care units (ICUs) or in pediatrics, data were insufficient to establish appropriate thresholds for detecting Aspergillus galactomannan (GM), and there was uncertainty about the role of (1,3)-beta-D glucan (BDG). Furthermore, nucleic acid amplification including polymerase chain reaction (PCR)–based tests were excluded because of lack of standardization and validation. Definitions for cryptococcosis and endemic mycoses also needed clarification, and there were no definitions for pneumocystosis.
PROCESS
method↗controlsVolunteers from the EORTC Infectious Diseases Group and the MSGERC were assigned according to their expertise to 10 working groups, each charged with appraising a particular topic (see list of contributors in the Notes section). The chairs of the EORTC and MSG (J. P. D. and P. G. P.) selected leaders for each working group, and S. C. served as executive secretary. After completing the first round of working group assignments, leaders presented each group’s initial deliberations and recommendations at the 7th Trends in Medical Mycology Conference in Lisbon, Portugal, October 2015. A slide set was made available until 31 December 2015 online at www.e-materials.com/timm2015/invitation/Member and, on request, for public comment. After several iterations, the final draft of the manuscript was circulated to all members for their approval.
REVISIONS AND UPDATES
Special Populations
Pediatrics and patients in the ICU were considered as special populations. mechanismslimitationscontent_tagsHowever, group 10 (IFD definitions in ICU patients) was unable to generate recommendations that preserved a level of certainty consistent with the existing definitions except for proven IFD ( Table 1 ) and therefore undertook a separate initiative [ 8 ].
Table 1. Criteria for Proven Invasive Fungal Disease
Fungus Microscopic Analysis: Sterile Material Culture: Sterile Material Blood Serology Tissue Nucleic Acid Diagnosis
Molds a Histopathologic, cytopathologic, or direct microscopic examination b of a specimen obtained by needle aspiration or biopsy in which hyphae or melanized yeast-like forms are seen accompanied by evidence of associated tissue damage Recovery of a hyaline or pigmented mold by culture of a specimen obtained by a sterile procedure from a normally sterile and clinically or radiologically abnormal site consistent with an infectious disease process, excluding BAL fluid, a paranasal or mastoid sinus cavity specimen, and urine Blood culture that yields a mold c (eg, Fusarium species) in the context of a compatible infectious disease process Not applicable Amplification of fungal DNA by PCR combined with DNA sequencing when molds are seen in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue
Yeasts a Histopathologic, cytopathologic, or direct microscopic examination of a specimen obtained by needle aspiration or biopsy from a normally sterile site (other than mucous membranes) showing yeast cells, for example, Cryptococcus species indicating encapsulated budding yeasts or Candida species showing pseudohyphae or true hyphae d Recovery of a yeast by culture of a sample obtained by a sterile procedure (including a freshly placed [<24 hours ago] drain) from a normally sterile site showing a clinical or radiological abnormality consistent with an infectious disease process Blood culture that yields yeast (eg, Cryptococcus or Candida species) or yeast-like fungi (eg, Trichosporon species) Cryptococcal antigen in cerebrospinal fluid or blood confirms cryptococcosis Amplification of fungal DNA by PCR combined with DNA sequencing when yeasts are seen in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue
Pneumocystis Detection of the organism microscopically in tissue, BAL fluid, expectorated sputum using conventional or immunofluorescence staining Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable
Endemic mycoses Histopathology or direct microscopy of specimens obtained from an affected site showing the distinctive form of the fungus Recovery by culture of the fungus from specimens from an affected site Blood culture that yields the fungus Not applicable Not applicable
Abbreviations: BAL, bronchoalveolar lavage; PCR, polymerase chain reaction.
a If culture is available, append the identification at the genus or species level from the culture results.
b Tissue and cells submitted for histopathologic or cytopathologic studies should be stained using Grocott-Gomori methenamine silver stain or periodic acid Schiff stain to facilitate inspection of fungal structures. Whenever possible, wet mounts of specimens from foci related to invasive fungal disease should be stained with a fluorescent dye (eg, calcofluor or blankophor).
c Recovery of Aspergillus species from blood cultures rarely indicates endovascular disease and almost always represents contamination.
d Trichosporon and yeast-like Geotrichum species and Blastoschizomyces capitatus may also form pseudohyphae or true hyphae.
Pediatrics: Group 1
There was a clear need to establish pediatric-specific IFD definitions as the clinical and radiologic manifestations of IFD in children, that is, patients aged <18 years, may differ significantly from those in adults. Most importantly, the incidence of invasive candidiasis (IC) is higher in neonates than in other age groups [ 9–11 ]. The degree of prematurity, based on gestational age and birth weight, is a unique risk factor among neonates; hematogenous Candida meningoencephalitis affects premature infants disproportionately and has serious consequences including seizures, intraventricular hemorrhage, and developmental delay [ 12 , 13 ]. With respect to IC due to non- Candida albicans species, Candida glabrata is the most common pathogen in adults, whereas Candida parapsilosis predominates in children and neonates [ 14 ]. Risk factors for invasive mold diseases include innate immunologic defects, with Aspergillus nidulans being associated with chronic granulomatous disease, while Aspergillus fumigatus is seen more often in other patient groups [ 15 ].
Neonates with IC often present with subtle clinical findings, and cultures are frequently sterile, including cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from neonates with candidemia and concurrent Candida meningitis. Diagnosis is often inferred from insensitive and nonspecific surrogate tests, such as increased C-reactive protein or thrombocytopenia, which has been shown to be a predictor of candidemia in infants [ 16 , 17 ]. In neonates, a positive urine culture has a significance similar to that of a positive blood culture as an indicator of IC [ 16 ]. Radiographic findings are less specific in children than those reported in adults [ 18 ]. Chest computerized tomography (CT) scans in children with proven invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) commonly show nonspecific changes and not the halo sign, air crescent formation, or cavitation seen in adults [ 19 ].
There are also far fewer data to support the clinical use of nonculture-based fungal biomarkers in neonates and children [ 20 ], although the GM assay performs similarly in children and adults when used as an adjunctive tool to diagnose invasive aspergillosis (IA) [ 20 , 21 ]. Likewise, there are few data regarding the use of BDG, Candida mannan antigen, and anti-mannan antibody biomarkers in pediatrics [ 22 ]. Recent data support the utility of BDG in CSF for the diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of children with Candida meningoencephalitis [ 23 ], but the data are sparse regarding the utility of PCR assays and the T2Candida assay for diagnosis [ 24 ].
Diagnostic Tests and Imaging
mechanismscontent_tagscontent_tags↗In the previous definitions [ 1 ], indirect tests for diagnosing IFD were only included if there was sufficient evidence that they had been standardized and validated. Moreover, commercial tests were included only if criteria for interpretation had been provided. Hence, while tests for GM and BDG were incorporated, tests for detecting fungal nucleic acid were not [ 1 ]. Furthermore, there was no agreement about appropriate thresholds, so the manufacturers’ analytical thresholds were adopted. The evidence for using GM to diagnose IA has grown considerably since then, and testing for BDG has been extended to a wide range of patients. With respect to Aspergillus PCR, the International Society of Human and Animal Mycology working group Fungal PCR Initiative (FPCRI; www.fpcri.eu ) has made significant progress toward setting a standard for the technique after vigorous validation [ 25 ].
Imaging: Group 2
There is mounting evidence that the radiologic manifestations of invasive mold disease are more varied than previously recognized. The increased sensitivity of newer imaging techniques enables a greater number and depth of abnormalities to be seen in different anatomic regions. Recent data relating to the role of imaging in the diagnosis of IPA and pulmonary mucormycosis (PM) in adults suggest that a high-resolution CT scan (HRCT) is preferred to chest radiographs, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography (PET), likely reflecting that HRCT is more sensitive than a chest radiograph, more widely available than MRI, and the experience with HRCT is much larger than with PET [ 26 , 27 ]. Among patients with IPA, nodules or infiltrates with a halo sign remain useful among neutropenic patients but they are nonspecific for IPA in other groups [ 28 ]. Furthermore, the air crescent sign is a late and nonspecific sign. Among nonneutropenic patients, multiple pulmonary nodules and various nonspecific findings including bronchopneumonia, consolidation, cavitation, pleural effusions, ground glass opacities, tree-in-bud opacities, and atelectasis are found [ 29 ]. Overall, consolidation is the most frequent presentation of PM, followed by mass lesions, nodules, and cavitation [ 30 ]. Multiple nodules (more than10) and pleural effusions appear to be more frequent in PM than in IPA [ 31 ]. Moreover, the reverse halo sign is more specific for PM than IPA, although the differential diagnosis also includes other diseases including tuberculosis [ 32 ].
Aspergillus Galactomannan: Group 3
mechanismscontent_tags↗We evaluated Aspergillus galactomannan for both adults and children and specific patient groups and its utility and validity for different clinical specimens. We adopted different thresholds for different specimens rather than for different host groups [ 33–35 ] ( Table 2 ). These differ from those recommended by the manufacturer of the GM assay (Platelia Aspergillus (Bio-Rad, CA), validated only for use in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid; however, detection of GM in plasma and CSF should support a diagnosis of IA [ 36 , 37 ]. concepts↗concepts↗concept_edgescontent_tags↗Exposure to mold-active antifungals compromises the utility of the GM test for IA [ 38 ] by reducing its sensitivity [ 39 ]. Therefore, caution should be exercised when GM is found to be absent from serum or plasma in patients receiving mold-active antifungals. There was consensus that similar GM thresholds are appropriate for adults and children.
Table 2. Probable Invasive Pulmonary Mold Diseases
Host factors
Recent history of neutropenia (<0.5 × 10 9 neutrophils/L [<500 neutrophils/mm 3 ] for >10 days) temporally related to the onset of invasive fungal disease
Hematologic malignancy a
Receipt of an allogeneic stem cell transplant
Receipt of a solid organ transplant
Prolonged use of corticosteroids (excluding among patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis) at a therapeutic dose of ≥0.3 mg/kg corticosteroids for ≥3 weeks in the past 60 days
Treatment with other recognized T-cell immunosuppressants, such as calcineurin inhibitors, tumor necrosis factor-a blockers, lymphocyte-specific monoclonal antibodies, immunosuppressive nucleoside analogues during the past 90 days
Treatment with recognized B-cell immunosuppressants, such as Bruton’s tyrosine kinase inhibitors, eg, ibrutinib
Inherited severe immunodeficiency (such as chronic granulomatous disease, STAT 3 deficiency, or severe combined immunodeficiency)
Acute graft-versus-host disease grade III or IV involving the gut, lungs, or liver that is refractory to first-line treatment with steroids
Clinical features
Pulmonary aspergillosis
The presence of 1 of the following 4 patterns on CT:
Dense, well-circumscribed lesions(s) with or without a halo sign
Air crescent sign
Cavity
Wedge-shaped and segmental or lobar consolidation
Other pulmonary mold diseases
As for pulmonary aspergillosis but also including a reverse halo sign
Tracheobronchitis
Tracheobronchial ulceration, nodule, pseudomembrane, plaque, or eschar seen on bronchoscopic analysis
Sino-nasal diseases
Acute localized pain (including pain radiating to the eye)
Nasal ulcer with black eschar
Extension from the paranasal sinus across bony barriers, including into the orbit
Central nervous system infection
1 of the following 2 signs:
Focal lesions on imaging
Meningeal enhancement on magnetic resonance imaging or CT
Mycological evidence
Any mold, for example, Aspergillus , Fusarium , Scedosporium species or Mucorales recovered by culture from sputum, BAL, bronchial brush, or aspirate
Microscopical detection of fungal elements in sputum, BAL, bronchial brush, or aspirate indicating a mold
Tracheobronchitis
Aspergillus recovered by culture of BAL or bronchial brush
Microscopic detection of fungal elements in BAL or bronchial brush indicating a mold
Sino-nasal diseases
Mold recovered by culture of sinus aspirate samples
Microscopic detection of fungal elements in sinus aspirate samples indicating a mold
Aspergillosis only
Galactomannan antigen
Antigen detected in plasma, serum, BAL, or CSF
Any 1 of the following:
Single serum or plasma: ≥1.0
BAL fluid: ≥1.0
Single serum or plasma: ≥0.7 and BAL fluid ≥0.8
CSF: ≥1.0
Aspergillus PCR
Any 1 of the following:
Plasma, serum, or whole blood 2 or more consecutive PCR tests positive
BAL fluid 2 or more duplicate PCR tests positive
At least 1 PCR test positive in plasma, serum, or whole blood and 1 PCR test positive in BAL fluid
Aspergillus species recovered by culture from sputum, BAL, bronchial brush, or aspirate
Probable invasive fungal diseases (IFD) requires the presence of at least 1 host factor, a clinical feature and mycologic evidence and is proposed for immunocompromised patients only, whereas proven IFD can apply to any patient, regardless of whether the patient is immunocompromised. Probable IFD requires the presence of a host factor, a clinical feature, and mycologic evidence. Cases that meet the criteria for a host factor and a clinical feature but for which mycological evidence has not been found are considered possible IFD. (1,3)-beta-D glucan was not considered to provide mycological evidence of any invasive mold disease.
Abbreviations: BAL, bronchoalveolar lavage; CSF, cerebrospinal fluid; CT, computed tomography; PCR, polymerase chain reaction.
a Hematologic malignancy refers to active malignancy, in receipt of treatment for this malignancy, and those in remission in the recent past. These patients would comprise largely acute leukemias and lymphomas, as well as multiple myeloma, whereas patients with aplastic anemia represent a more heterogeneous group of individuals and are not included.
BDG and T2Candida Assays: Group 4
The group considers detection of BDG to be suitable for diagnosing probable IFD in the appropriate clinical setting. This includes patients with hematologic malignancies with and without neutropenia, neutropenia following HSCT, and certain patients in the ICU who are at higher risk (>10%) for IC as a result of gastrointestinal surgery with recurrent anastomotic leaks, perforations of the upper gastrointestinal tract, or necrotizing pancreatitis when there is clinical suspicion of infection [ 40 , 41 ]. content_tagsA single threshold (>80 pg/mL) using the Fungitell test (Associates of Cape Cod, Falmouth, MA) is recommended; there is insufficient evidence to include assays produced by other manufacturers [ 42 ]. Confidence for true positive results increases with repeated positive tests and for values that greatly exceed the positivity threshold [ 43 ]. There may be variability in positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) based on patient population, but a single threshold is favored at this time. mechanismscontrolscontent_tags↗The group did not support the use of serum BDG to rule in patients for clinical trials or for defining IA or IC, as BDG detection is not specific for any one IFD. It was agreed that this test should only be used on serum samples, although the test has been used for CSF samples with some success to support a diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) IFD in certain circumstances when other diagnostic tests are negative or inconclusive [ 44 ].
The T2Candida panel has been cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration for the detection of common Candida species from whole blood specimens. The test has a very high NPV but, as with all such tests, the PPV is variable and depends upon disease prevalence in a given patient population [ 45 , 46 ]. content_tagscontent_tags↗The PPV increases from 62% among patients with sepsis, shock, or lengths of stay greater than 3–7 days in an ICU to 92% for bone marrow transplant recipients and patients with leukemia who are neutropenic but not receiving any antifungal prophylaxis. The test has been included as mycologic evidence to support a diagnosis of candidemia in selected clinical trials [ 47 ].
Aspergillus PCR: Group 5
In considering Aspergillus PCR, target species, patient populations, appropriate specimens for testing, technical issues, comparison with other biomarker assays, and unique attributes of PCR assays were reviewed. The data were sufficiently robust for performing Aspergillus PCR on serum, plasma, whole blood, and BAL fluid in adults. The group acknowledged that Aspergillus PCR data have been evaluated most extensively for adults with hematologic malignancies and HSCT. Systematic reviews of Aspergillus PCR methods on blood and BAL fluid conclude that PCR provides a robust diagnostic test for screening and confirming the diagnosis of Aspergillus infection [ 22 , 48–53 ].
mechanismsclaim_relationscontent_tagscontent_tags↗There are relatively few commercial PCR assays, and most investigators have developed methods in-house. As such, the FPCRI was established to develop criteria for Aspergillus PCR rather than a standardized method per se. Despite technologic variability, PCR performance was comparable with that for detecting GM and BDG [ 54 ]. Moreover, commercial PCR tests performed using methodology in line with the FPCRI recommendations provide a standardized approach that has been independently associated with improved performance. A unique feature of PCR is its ability to detect both genus and species of Aspergillus . PCR is also capable of identifying certain mutations associated with triazole resistance directly from clinical specimens [ 55–57 ].
Tissue Diagnosis: Group 6
phenomenoncontrolscontent_tags↗Tissue diagnosis requires the presence of fungal elements in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue and signifies proven fungal disease but not the identity of the fungus involved. To achieve this, we recommend amplification of fungal DNA by PCR combined with DNA sequencing, but only when fungal elements are seen by histopathology. PCR would add value by allowing identification of the fungus to genus and possibly species levels. Because the technique used should be rigorously quality controlled, only laboratories with a proven record in performing DNA extraction from formalin-fixed tissue should undertake this. The identity of the fungus should be consistent with the histopathologic findings [ 58–60 ].
Other Disease Entities
Pneumocystosis: Group 7
The inclusion of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) diagnosis in the updated definitions was limited to patients not living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Diagnosing PCP has been more difficult among these patients possibly due to a more focal pulmonary involvement, lower suspicion of disease, and lower sensitivity of traditional histologic and microscopy diagnostic tests [ 61 ]. As such, it is important to more fully define host factors for patients at increased risk for PCP. We selected receipt of therapeutic doses of corticosteroids for at least 2 weeks within the past 60 days; antineoplastic, antiinflammatory, or immunosuppressive treatment; and low CD4 lymphocyte counts due to a medical condition. This includes, but is not limited to, patients with primary immunodeficiencies, hematologic malignancies, SOTs, and allogeneic HSCT recipients [ 62 , 63 ]. Clinical criteria in this population tend to be nonspecific and include cough, dyspnea, and hypoxemia. Radiographic abnormalities include bilateral ground-glass opacities and, less frequently, consolidation, small nodules, unilateral infiltrates, pleural effusions, and cystic lesions [ 61 , 64 , 65 ]. Amplification of P. jirovecii DNA by quantitative real-time PCR on BAL fluid, expectorated sputum, or oral wash specimens is preferred to qualitative PCR and is helpful to establish probable disease. However, further studies are needed to validate thresholds for positivity [ 66 , 67 ]. Similarly, 2 or more serum BDG levels of ≥80 ng/L are useful for diagnosing probable disease in appropriate clinical context provided other IFDs have been excluded [ 68 , 69 ].
Cryptococcosis: Group 8
A broader understanding of the natural history and host factors associated with cryptococcal disease warrants updating these definitions. We support the previous definitions of proven and probable cryptococcal disease in any host. mechanismscontent_tagsHowever, we also recognize cryptococcal infection among individuals in high-risk host groups who have few, if any, symptoms and only a positive serum cryptococcal antigen test (asymptomatic cryptococcal antigenemia). This condition may be more common than symptomatic disease, and patients may develop clinical cryptococcal disease unless treated and so are now included in these definitions [ 70 ]. mechanismsconcepts↗concepts↗concept_edgescontent_tagsThe term “disseminated cryptococcosis” as distinct from CNS cryptococcosis has been abandoned in favor of the terms “pulmonary,” “CNS” and “other extrapulmonary sites.” mechanismscontent_tags“Colonization” with Cryptococcus spp. is no longer included in the definitions as it is poorly understood and its natural history is unknown.
limitationsconcepts↗concepts↗concept_edgesIdentification to the species level for Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii has become increasingly important based on reports that suggest different clinical presentations, outcomes, and responses to antifungal therapy between these 2 species [ 71 , 72 ]. Verification of species that use CGB (L-canavanine, glycine, bromthymol blue) agar or matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry is recommended. Outcomes for HIV-associated cryptococcosis due to C. neoformans and C. gattii appear to be similar, and identification to the species level may be unnecessary [ 73 , 74 ].
Endemic Mycoses: Group 9
The endemic mycoses are caused by environmental fungi that are usually restricted geographically and cause disease in immunocompetent and immunocompromised hosts. Causative agents include Histoplasma capsulatum var. capsulatum and H. capsulatum var. duboisii , Blastomyces species complex (eg, B. dermatitidis , B. gilchristii , B. helicus , B. silverae , and B. parvus ), Coccidioides immitis/Coccidioides posadasii , Paracoccidioides brasiliensis/Paracoccidioides lutzii, Sporothrix species complex ( S. brasiliensis , S. schenckii sensu stricto , S. globosa , and S. luriei ), Talaromyces (formerly Penicillium ) marneffei , and Emergomyces species ( E. pasteurianus , E. africanus , E. orientalis , E. canadensis , and E. europaeus ) [ 75–80 ]. Probable endemic mycoses are defined by evidence of environmental exposure to the fungus, a compatible clinical illness, and the presence of either Histoplasma or Blastomyces antigen in any body fluid or antibody to Coccidioides species in serum or CSF as recovery by culture and histopathologic evidence of infection is generally lacking. There are no approved serologic tests for T. marneffei , S. schenckii species complex, or P. brasiliensis . concepts↗concepts↗sensesconcept_edgescontent_tags↗Exposure to 1 of these fungi is defined as a history of residence in an endemic area, no matter how remote, travel to an endemic area, or contact with fomites such as soil or vegetation that is derived from an endemic area.
Proven Invasive Fungal Disease
The revised definitions of proven IFD are shown in Table 1 .
Probable Invasive Fungal Disease
Several changes were made to the definitions of probable IFD ( Tables 2 and 3 ). For example, host factors were expanded to include inherited severe immunodeficiency and low CD4 lymphocyte counts. Radiographic features were expanded to include wedge-shaped and segmental or lobar consolidation and a reverse halo sign to indicate mold disease of the lower respiratory tract. Revised thresholds for GM now replace those of the manufacturer. Aspergillus PCR is now included, and there are mycologic criteria for non-HIV–associated pneumocystosis.
Table 3. Other Probable Invasive Diseases
Candidiasis
Host factors
Recent history of neutropenia <0.5 × 10 9 neutrophils/L (<500 neutrophils/mm 3 for >10 days) temporally related to the onset of invasive fungal disease
Hematologic malignancy
Receipt of an allogeneic stem cell transplant
Solid organ transplant recipient
Prolonged use of corticosteroids (excluding among patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis) at a therapeutic dose of ≥0.3 mg/kg corticosteroids for ≥3 weeks in the past 60 days
Treatment with other recognized T-cell immunosuppressants, such as calcineurin inhibitors, tumor necrosis factor-a blockers, lymphocyte-specific monoclonal antibodies, immunosuppressive nucleoside analogues during the past 90 days
Inherited severe immunodeficiency (such as chronic granulomatous disease, STAT 3 deficiency, CARD9 deficiency, STAT-1 gain of function, or severe combined immunodeficiency)
Acute graft-versus-host disease grade III or IV involving the gut, lungs, or liver that is refractory to first-line treatment with steroids
Clinical features
At least 1 of the following 2 entities after an episode of candidemia within the previous 2 weeks:
Small, target-like abscesses in liver or spleen (bull’s-eye lesions) or in the brain, or, meningeal enhancement
Progressive retinal exudates or vitreal opacities on ophthalmologic examination
Mycological evidence
ß-D-glucan (Fungitell) ≥80 ng/L (pg/mL) detected in at least 2 consecutive serum samples provided that other etiologies have been excluded
Positive T2Candida a
Cryptococcosis
Host factors b
Human immunodeficiency virus infection
Solid organ or stem cell transplant recipient
Hematologic malignancy
Antibody deficiency (eg, common variable immunoglobulin deficiency)
Immunosuppressive therapy (including monoclonal antibodies)
End-stage liver or renal disease
Idiopathic CD4 lymphocytopenia
Clinical features
Meningeal inflammation
Radiological lesion consistent with cryptococcal disease
Mycological evidence
Recovery of Cryptococcus from a specimen obtained from any nonsterile site
Pneumocystosis c
Host factors
Low CD4 lymphocyte counts <200 cells/mm 3 (200 × 10 6 cells/L) for any reason
Exposure to medication (antineoplastic therapy, antiinflammatory, or immunosuppressive treatment) associated with T-cell dysfunction
Use of therapeutic doses of ≥0.3 mg/kg prednisone equivalent for ≥2 weeks in the past 60 days
Solid organ transplant
Clinical features
Any consistent radiographic features particularly bilateral ground glass opacities, consolidations, small nodules or unilateral infiltrates lobar infiltrate, nodular infiltrate with or without cavitation, multifocal infiltrates, miliary pattern d
Respiratory symptoms with cough, dyspnea, and hypoxemia accompanying radiographic abnormalities including consolidations, small nodules, unilateral infiltrates, pleural effusions, or cystic lesions on chest X-ray or computed tomography scan
Mycological evidence
ß-D-glucan (Fungitell) ≥80 ng/L (pg/mL) detection in ≥2 consecutive serum samples provided other etiologies have been excluded
Detection of Pneumocystis jirovecii DNA by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in a respiratory tract specimen
Endemic mycoses
Host factors
Not applicable as these diseases affect both healthy and less healthy hosts
Clinical features
Evidence for geographical or occupational exposure (including remote) to the fungus and compatible clinical illness
Mycological evidence
Histoplasma or Blastomyces antigen in urine, serum, or body fluid
Antibody to Coccidioides in cerebrospinal fluid or 2-fold rise in 2 consecutive serum samples
Probable invasive fungal diseases (IFD)requires the presence of at least 1 host factor, a clinical feature and mycologic evidence and is proposed for immunocompromised patients only, whereas proven invasive fungal disease can apply to any patient, regardless of whether the patient is immunocompromised. Except for endemic mycoses, probable IFD requires the presence of a host factor, a clinical feature, and mycologic evidence, whereas cases that meet the criteria for a host factor and a clinical feature but for which mycological evidence has not been found are considered possible IFD.
a T2Candida is US Food and Drug Administration approved for the detection of Candida albicans , Candida parapsilosis , Candida tropicalis , Candida krusei, and Candida glabrata in blood.
b Cryptococcosis also occurs in phenotypically normal hosts.
c Definitions for human immunodeficiency virus–associated pneumocystosis are not included here.
d Bilateral, diffuse ground glass opacities with interstitial infiltrates are more common than other features such as consolidations, small nodules, thin-walled cavities, and unilateral infiltrates.
Possible Invasive Fungal Disease
mechanismsmechanismscontrolsconcepts↗concepts↗concepts↗sensessensesconcept_edgesconcept_edgescontent_tagscontent_tags↗While definitions of proven and probable disease have been shown to be reliable in research and attracted little controversy among the group, this cannot be said of the possible IFD category. There is much confusion about the difference between a host factor and a risk factor. As before, a host factor has been defined as a characteristic of individuals clearly predisposed to, and not simply at risk of, an IFD [ 1 ]. For example, while impaired gut wall integrity through surgery or illness may increase the risk of candidiasis, it was not considered specific enough to warrant inclusion as a host factor. Pulmonary abnormalities such as tree-in-bud opacities and interstitial abnormalities were excluded from the clinical features as they can be due to a wide range of pathologies in addition to IFD.
GENERAL POINTS
concepts↗concepts↗concept_edgesThroughout this process, we have emphasized the need to differentiate between definitions of IFD required for clinical research from those that influence clinical practice. In clinical practice, many would administer an antifungal agent to any patient at risk of IFD when fungi are detected by biomarkers in serum, plasma, whole blood, or relevant body site fluid without there being sufficient evidence to satisfy the consensus definitions of IFD. limitationsWe also recognize that our definition of a host factor errs on the side of conservatism given the increasing use of drugs such as monoclonal antibodies for treating a variety of conditions.
Other controversial issues included distinguishing between the performance characteristics of tests for screening and confirmation, the impact of exposure to antifungal agents used for prophylaxis or treatment on imaging and diagnostic tests, and the use of biomarkers to monitor therapeutic outcome. We agree that further research will be required to evaluate the evidence for each of these assays. Finally, there was consensus that diagnostic strategies to determine the relative efficiency of an available test, alone or in combination with other diagnostic tests, should be considered further.
CONCLUSIONS
limitationscontent_tagsIn summary, these revised definitions represent consensus expert opinion based on the best available evidence. As such, they will need to be reviewed regularly for their utility and relevance and, where possible, extended to other populations affected by IFDs. We acknowledge the limitations of these definitions, including the exclusion of certain cases of IFD. However, the reliance on host factors, clinical features, and mycologic evidence to define IFD in selected populations has proven its value for clinical trials, epidemiologic studies, and the evaluation of diagnostic tests.
Notes
Author contributions. Pediatrics: William Steinbach (Chair, Mycoses Study Group [MSG]), Brian Fisher (MSG), Andreas Groll (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer [EORTC]) Thomas Lehrnbecher (EORTC), Emmanuel Roilides (EORTC), Thomas J Walsh (MSG), Adilia Warris (EORTC), Theo Zaoutis (MSG). Guidance on imaging: John W. Baddley (Chair, MSG), Barbara Alexander (MSG), Sujal Desai (EORTC), Klaus Peter Heussel (EORTC), Frédéric Lamoth (EORTC), Orla Morrisey (MSG), Cornelia Schaefer Prokop (EORTC). Update of galactomannan: Paul Verweij (Chair, EORTC), Elio Castagnola (EORTC), Johan Maertens (EORTC), Kieren Marr (MSG), Joseph Wheat (MSG). Update on beta-D-glucan, T2Candida: Cornelius J. Clancy (Chair, MSG), Hamdi Akan (EORTC), David Andes (MSG), Mario Cruciani (EORTC), Frédéric Lamoth (EORTC), Oscar Marchetti (EORTC), Luis Ostrosky- Zeichner (MSG), Zdenek Racil (EORTC). Update of polymerase chain reaction: John R. Wingard (Chair, MSG), Stephane Bretagne (EORTC), Angela Caliendo (MSG), Jurgen Loeffler (EORTC), Tom Patterson (MSG), Monica Slavin (MSG), P Lewis White (EORTC). Tissue diagnosis: Shawn Lockhart (Chair, MSG), Ralf Bialek (EORTC), Manuel Cuenca (EORTC), Henrik Jensen (EORTC), Chris Kibbler (EORTC), Dimitrios Kontoyiannis (MSG). Pneumocystosis: Andreas Groll (Chair, EORTC), Sharon Chen (MSG), Catherine Decker (MSG), Katrien Lagrou (EORTC), Henry Masur (MSG), Livio Pagano (EORTC), Claudio Viscoli (EORTC). Cryptococcosis: Tania Sorrell (Chair, MSG), Peter Pappas (MSG), Tom Harrison (EORTC), Olivier Lortholary (EORTC), John Perfect (MSG). Endemic mycosis: Carol A. Kauffman (Chair, MSG), Robert W. Bradsher (MSG), Jacques F. Meis (EORTC), Marcio Nucci (MSG), David Stevens (MSG), George R Thompson (MSG). Inclusion of patients in the intensive care unit: Matteo Bassetti (Chair, EORTC), Elie Azoulay (EORTC), Thierry Calandra (EORTC), Bart-Jan Kullberg (EORTC), Frédéric Lamoth (EORTC), Marcus Ruhnke (EORTC), Shmuel Shoham (MSG), Jose Vazquez (MSG).
Disclaimer . The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Potential conflicts of interest. H. Akan reports being a primary investigator in a clinical trial for MSD. B. D. Alexander reports grants from Astellas, Cidara, Scynexis, F2G, and Viamet and personal fees from Astellas, Scynexis, and UpToDate outside the submitted work. D. Andes reports grants and consulting fees from Amplyx, Matinas, Cidara, and Merck outside the submitted work. E. Azoulay reports personal fees from Gilead, Pfizer, Ablynx, Alexion, and Baxter; grants and personal fees from MSD; and conference invitation from Gilead outside the submitted work. M. Bassetti reports grants from Pfizer, MSD, and Cidara and personal fees from Pfizer, MSD, Astellas, ThermoFisher, Gilead, Cidara, Biomerieux, and Menarini outside the submitted work. S. Bretagne reports grants from MSD and Pfizer and personal fees from Gilead outside the submitted work. T. Calandra reports advisory board membership from Astellas, Basilea, Cidara, MSD, Sobi, ThermoFisher, and GE Healthcare and data monitoring board membership from Novartis. A. M. Caliendo reports grants from T2 Biosystems outside the submitted work. E. Castagnola reports personal fees from Gilead outside the submitted work. S. C. Chen reports grants from MSD Australia outside the submitted work. C. J. Clancy reports consultancy fees from Merck, Cidara, Astellas, The Medicine Company, Scynexis, and T2Biosystems; grants/pending grants from T2Biosystems, Merck, Cidara, and Astellas; and personal fees from Merck and T2 Biosystems outside the submitted work. M. Cuenca-Estrella reports grants and personal fees from Gilead Sciences and grants from F2G, Scynexis, Cidara, and Amplyx outside the submitted work. S. R. Desai reports paid honorarium and travel expenses from Interstitial Lung Disease MDT—Boehringer-Ingelheim. limitationsJ. P. Donnelly reports personal fees from F2G Ltd, Gilead Sciences, and Pfizer outside the submitted work. B. Fisher reports grants from Pfizer, Merck, and the National Institutes of Health and personal fees from Astellas outside the submitted work. T. Harrison reports grants from Gilead Sciences and personal fees from Gilead Sciences, Pfizer, and Viamet outside the submitted work. C. P. Heussel reports personal fees from Basilea, Bayer, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Gilead, Interimmune, MSD, Novartis, and Pfizer; grants from the German Center for Lung Research, MeVis, Pfizer, and Siemens; and consultancy fees from Fresenius outside the submitted work. C. A. Kaufmann reports data safety monitoring board membership for Cidara Therapeudics outside the submitted work. D. P. Kontoyiannis reports personal fees from Merck & Co, Gilead Sciences, United Medical, Astellas Pharma, Pharma, Cidara Therapeutics, Amplyx Pharmaceuticals, and Mayne Pharma outside the submitted work. B.-J. Kullberg reports personal fees from Amplyx, Astellas, Cidara, Pfizer, and Scynexis outside the submitted work. K. Lagrou reports personal fees and travel support from Pfizer and MSD and personal fees from Abbott, SMB Laboratoires Brussels, Gilead, and Roche outside the submitted work. F. Lamoth reports personal fees from MSD and Basilea outside the submitted work. T. Lehrnbecher reports grants, personal fees, and nonfinancial support from Gilead Sciences; personal fees and nonfinancial support from MSD/Merck and Astellas; and personal fees from Basilea outside the submitted work. J. Maertens reports personal fees and nonfinancial support from Basilea Pharmaceuticals, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Cidara, F2G Ltd, Gilead Sciences, Merck, and Pfizer Inc and grants from Gilead Sciences outside the submitted work. K. A. Marr reports personal fees from Amplyx, Cidara, and Merck; licensing royalties from MycoMed Technologies; and patents from MycoMed outside the submitted work. J. F. Meis reports grants from F2G Ltd, personal fees from Gilead Sciences, other from Pulmocide, grants and personal fees from Scynexis, personal fees and other from TEVA, and personal fees and other from United Medical outside the submitted work. C. O. Morrissey reports grants from Gilead Sciences, Merck, Sharp and Dohme and advisory board membership from Merck, Sharp, and Dohme outside the submitted work. M. Nucci reports personal fees from Pfizer, MSD, Basilea, Gilead, Biotoscana, Teva, Abbvie, Astellas, and Janssen outside the submitted work. L. Ostrosky-Zeichner reports personal fees from Merck, F2G, Mayne, Viracor, and Gilead; grants and personal fees from Pfizer, Astellas, Scynexis, and Cidara; grants from Amplyx; and personal fees from Realtime outside the submitted work. L. Pagano reports personal fees from MSD and Pfizer and grants and personal fees from Gilead outside the submitted work. T. F. Patterson reports personal fees from Basilea; grants from Cidara; and personal fees from Gilead, Merck, Scynexis, Toyama, and Pfizer outside the submitted work. J. R. Perfect reports grants from Pfizer and Mayne; grants and other from Merck, Minnetronix, and Amplyx and other from Viamet, F2G, Vical, Matinas, Cidara during the conduct of the study. E. Roilides reports grants from Astellas Pharma, Gilead Sciences, MSD Sharp & Dohme, Pfizer outside the submitted work. M. Ruhnke reports personal fees from SCYNEXIS, Basilea, Kedplasma, and Daiichi outside the submitted work. S. Shoham reports grants from Merck, Astellas, Shionogi, Cidara, Scynexis, Shire, T2 Microsystems, Ansun, Emergent, and Gilead and personal fees from Merck outside the submitted work. M.A. Slavin reports grants from Merck; personal fees from Merck; and other from Pfizer and Gilead outside the submitted work. D. A. Stevens reports grants from Astellas and Riptide and consulting fees from Pulmatrix, the US Department of Justice, and Fresenius outside the submitted work. G. R. Thompson reports grants and other from Astellas, Cidara, Vical, Scynexis, F2G, and Mayne and grants from RealTime Labs outside the submitted work. J. A. Vazquez reports personal fees from Astellas, Cidara, Amplyx, and F2G outside the submitted work. C. Viscoli reports personal fees from MSD Int, Gilead, Pfizer, Angelini, Astellas, and Basilea outside the submitted work. P. E.Verweij reports grants from Gilead Sciences, MSD, Pfizer, and F2G and nonfinancial support from OLM and IMMY outside the submitted work. T. J. Walsh has received grants for experimental and clinical antifungal pharmacology and molecular diagnostics to his institution from Amplyx, Astellas, Lediant, Merck, Scynexis, and T2 Biosystems and has served as a consultant to Amplyx, Astellas, Gilead, Lediant, Merck, and Scynexis. A. Warris reports grants and personal fees from Gilead outside the submitted work. P. L. White reports nonfinancial support from Bruker, Dynamiker, and Launch; personal fees and nonfinancial support from Gilead; and personal fees from MSD outside the submitted work. J. R. Wingard reports personal fees from Ansun, Astellas, Behring, Celgene, Cidara, Merck, and Shire outside the submitted work. T. E. Zaoutis reports personal fees from Pfizer outside the submitted work. All other authors report no potential conflicts. All authors have submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. Conflicts that the editors consider relevant to the content of the manuscript have been disclosed.
Relations on this page carry a quotation for the claim. Where a relation was separately evidenced — and so tested against the vocabulary for its type — the row says so; 8 of 8 relations here carry that mark. The rest are the tagger’s reading of the sentence quoted beside them.
| facet | tag | field | conf. | whose words |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| object_of_study | A CONSENSUS DEFINITION REVISED WHILE ITS THREE CATEGORY NAMES STAY PUT - 'proven', 'probable' and 'possible' invasive fungal disease keep their labels from 2008 while 'probable' is expanded and 'possible' is shrunk, so the same three words now denote different sets of patients | object_of_study | the paper's words | |
| research_question | how to extend research definitions of invasive fungal disease beyond cancer and transplant patients, what to do about tests that did not exist or were unstandardised in 2008, and where the boundary of each category should now sit | research_question | the paper's words | |
| contribution | revised definitions of proven, probable and possible IFD - new host factors, new radiological features, thresholds for galactomannan that replace the manufacturer's, the admission of Aspergillus PCR, and first definitions for non-HIV pneumocystosis | contribution | the paper's words | |
| claim_type | method | claim_type | the paper's words | |
| phenomenon | a group of diseases that can rarely be proven in life, so that the categories researchers count are degrees of certainty rather than states of the patient | phenomenon | the paper's words | |
| method | expert-consensus also in: expert-consensus | method | the paper's words | |
| mechanisms | THE LABELS DID NOT CHANGE AND THE CLASSES DID: `There is no change in the classifications of `proven,` `probable,` and `possible` IFD, although the definition of `PROBABLE` has been expanded and the scope of the category `POSSIBLE` has been diminished.` A trial reporting `probable IFD` in 2010 and one reporting it in 2021 are not counting the same patients, and neither label says so. The corpus holds definitions that moved and were renamed; this one moved and kept its name, which is the harder case to detect downstream | mechanisms[0] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| mechanisms | AND THE DEFINITION IS EXPLICITLY NOT FOR TREATING ANYONE: `Importantly, these definitions are specifically intended for these purposes only and not to direct or guide patient care.` Restated at the end: `we have emphasized the need to differentiate between definitions of IFD required for clinical research from those that influence clinical practice. In clinical practice, many would administer an antifungal agent ... without there being sufficient evidence to satisfy the consensus definitions of IFD.` A definition bounded by PURPOSE, not by population or by evidence base - and the authors say plainly that practice does not follow it and should not | mechanisms[1] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| mechanisms | AND FOR ELEVEN YEARS THE THRESHOLD BELONGED TO THE ASSAY MANUFACTURER: `there was no agreement about appropriate thresholds, so the manufacturers' analytical thresholds were adopted.` This revision takes it back - `Revised thresholds for GM now replace those of the manufacturer` - and the replacement still names a brand: `A single threshold (>80 pg/mL) using the Fungitell test ... is recommended; there is insufficient evidence to include assays produced by other manufacturers.` The boundary of a disease category was, and partly still is, a commercial parameter | mechanisms[2] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| mechanisms | AND THE THRESHOLD WAS DELIBERATELY INDEXED TO THE SPECIMEN RATHER THAN THE PATIENT: `We adopted different thresholds for different specimens rather than for different host groups.` Two ways to make one test mean the same thing across a population, and the choice is stated. Compare prigerson2009, where items that behaved differently across host groups were DELETED rather than re-thresholded | mechanisms[3] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| mechanisms | AND A WORKING GROUP FAILED AND SAID SO: `group 10 (IFD definitions in ICU patients) was unable to generate recommendations that preserved A level of certainty consistent with the existing definitions except for proven IFD, and therefore undertook a separate initiative.` One of ten groups reports that its population cannot be brought inside the definition at the certainty the definition requires. The honest outcome of an extension attempt, printed rather than papered over | mechanisms[4] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| mechanisms | AND A TERM WAS STRUCK OUT FOR IGNORANCE: `'COLONIZATION' with Cryptococcus spp. is no longer included in the definitions as it is poorly understood and its natural history is unknown.` simonneau2018 KEEPS a whole class - group 5 - for precisely this reason, `the LACK OF ROBUST DATA allowing a definite recognition of predominant pathophysiological mechanisms`. Same criterion, opposite operation: one field files the not-understood into a class of its own, the other deletes the term | mechanisms[5] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| mechanisms | AND ANOTHER TERM WAS ABANDONED FOR A PARTITION: `The term `DISSEMINATED CRYPTOCOCCOSIS` as distinct from CNS cryptococcosis has been abandoned in favor of the terms `PULMONARY,` `CNS` AND `OTHER EXTRAPULMONARY SITES.`` A term whose meaning was `everything beyond one site` replaced by naming the sites. A negative definition traded for an enumeration | mechanisms[6] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| mechanisms | AND A CLASS WAS EXTENDED TO PEOPLE WITH NO SYMPTOMS: `we also recognize cryptococcal infection among individuals in high-risk host groups who have few, if any, symptoms and only a positive serum cryptococcal antigen test (asymptomatic cryptococcal antigenemia). This condition may be more common than symptomatic disease ... and so are now included in these definitions.` The justification is prognostic - they `may develop clinical cryptococcal disease unless treated` - which is simonneau2018's argument for the 21-24 mmHg band, in a different discipline the same year | mechanisms[7] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| mechanisms | AND THE FIELD HAD TO WRITE DOWN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TWO OF ITS OWN WORDS: `There is much confusion about the difference between a host factor and a risk factor. As before, a host factor has been defined as a characteristic of individuals clearly predisposed to, and not simply at risk of, an IFD. For example, while impaired gut wall integrity ... may increase the risk of candidiasis, it was not considered specific enough to warrant inclusion as a host factor.` A worked example of the line between a constituent and a correlate - and simonneau2018 demotes splenectomy across the same line in the same year | mechanisms[8] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| mechanisms | AND THE UNCERTAIN CATEGORY IS THE CONTESTED ONE: `While definitions of proven and probable disease have been shown to be reliable in research and attracted little controversy among the group, this cannot be said of the possible IFD category.` `Possible` is what remains when a host factor and a clinical feature are present and the mycology is absent - a category defined by a missing measurement, which is why its boundary is the one nobody agrees on | mechanisms[9] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| mechanisms | AND THE DIAGNOSTIC TESTS CARRY THEIR OWN SCOPE LIMITS INTO THE DEFINITION: BDG is refused as evidence for a specific disease - `The group did not support the use of serum BDG to rule in patients for clinical trials or for defining IA or IC, as BDG detection is not specific for any one IFD`; tissue histology `signifies proven fungal disease but not the identity of the fungus involved`; and T2Candida's predictive value `increases from 62% ... to 92%` with the population. Each test answers a different question, and the definition has to say which | mechanisms[10] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| mechanisms | AND A STANDARD WAS SET AS CRITERIA RATHER THAN AS A METHOD: `There are relatively few commercial PCR assays, and most investigators have developed methods in-house. As such, the FPCRI was established to develop criteria for Aspergillus PCR rather than a standardized method per se.` Standardising the output instead of the procedure - the only move available when the procedures are already heterogeneous, and the reason PCR could be admitted in 2019 after exclusion in 2008 | mechanisms[11] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| limitations | THE PAPER SAYS ITS OWN CATEGORIES EXCLUDE REAL DISEASE: `We acknowledge the limitations of these definitions, including the exclusion of certain cases of IFD. However, the reliance on host factors, clinical features, and mycologic evidence to define IFD in selected populations has proven its value for clinical trials.` A research definition is allowed to be narrower than the disease; what it is not allowed to do is be read as a prevalence | limitations[0] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| limitations | AND THE HOST-FACTOR LIST IS CONSERVATIVE BY ADMISSION, IN A CHANGING POPULATION: `We also recognize that our definition of a host factor errs on the side of conservatism given the increasing use of drugs such as monoclonal antibodies for treating a variety of conditions.` The denominator of at-risk patients is growing faster than the list that defines it, and the definition will therefore miss more cases over time by construction | limitations[1] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| limitations | AND THE 2008 VERSION'S FAILURES ARE THE MAP OF THIS ONE'S EXPOSURE: `the definitions were UNSUITABLE FOR PATIENTS ... IN INTENSIVE CARE UNITS OR IN PEDIATRICS, DATA WERE INSUFFICIENT to establish appropriate thresholds ..., and there was uncertainty about the role of (1,3)-beta-D glucan. Furthermore, ... PCR-BASED TESTS WERE EXCLUDED BECAUSE OF LACK OF STANDARDIZATION.` Eleven years of studies used a definition its own successors call unsuitable for two whole populations | limitations[2] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| limitations | AND ONE OF THE TEN WORKING GROUPS COULD NOT DO ITS JOB: `group 10 (IFD definitions in ICU patients) was unable to generate recommendations that preserved a level of certainty consistent with the existing definitions except for proven IFD.` The ICU population named as a gap in 2008 is still outside the definitions in 2019, and the reason is that the certainty the categories require cannot be reached there | limitations[3] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| limitations | AND THE SAME SPECIES QUESTION IS ANSWERED BOTH WAYS ON ONE PAGE: `Identification to the species level for Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii has become increasingly important based on reports that suggest different clinical presentations, outcomes, and responses to antifungal therapy` - and then `Outcomes for HIV-associated cryptococcosis due to C. neoformans and C. gattii appear to be similar, and identification to the species level may be unnecessary.` Whether a distinction matters depends on the host, and both halves are printed without a rule for choosing between them | limitations[4] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| limitations | AND THE DISCLOSURES ARE EXTENSIVE AND UNIFORM ACROSS 62 AUTHORS: `J. P. Donnelly reports personal fees from F2G Ltd, Gilead Sciences, and Pfizer outside the submitted work.` Comparable statements follow for most of the author list, naming the manufacturers of antifungals and of the diagnostic assays whose thresholds this document sets. All declared, none hidden - and the panel that fixes an assay's cutoff is advised by people paid by the companies selling the assays, which is a fact about how this field is organised | limitations[5] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| controls | refusing BDG as evidence for any specific fungal disease, while accepting it for probable IFD in general eliminates: a non-specific biomarker being used to rule patients into a trial of one particular infection · outcome: held | controls[0] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| controls | defining a host factor as predisposition rather than raised risk, and testing the rule on impaired gut wall integrity eliminates: a category that would absorb most intensive-care patients · outcome: held | controls[1] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| controls | requiring DNA sequencing after PCR, and only in laboratories with a proven record, before tissue findings identify a fungus eliminates: an identification from histology alone, which 'signifies proven fungal disease but not the identity of the fungus involved' · outcome: held | controls[2] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| controls | a three-month public comment period after presentation at a conference, before the definitions were finalised eliminates: a definition known only to the panel that wrote it · outcome: held | controls[3] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| concepts | a host factor also in: a host factor | concepts[0] | 0.95 | the paper's words |
| concepts | a risk factor also in: a risk factor | concepts[1] | 0.95 | the paper's words |
| concepts | a characteristic of individuals clearly predisposed to, and not simply at risk of, an IFD | concepts[2] | 0.95 | the paper's words |
| concepts | definitions of IFD required for clinical research | concepts[3] | 0.95 | the paper's words |
| concepts | those that influence clinical practice | concepts[4] | 0.95 | the paper's words |
| concepts | Exposure to 1 of these fungi also in: Exposure to 1 of these fungi | concepts[5] | 0.95 | the paper's words |
| concepts | a history of residence in an endemic area | concepts[6] | 0.95 | the paper's words |
| concepts | Cryptococcus neoformans also in: Cryptococcus neoformans | concepts[7] | 0.95 | the paper's words |
| concepts | Cryptococcus gattii also in: Cryptococcus gattii | concepts[8] | 0.95 | the paper's words |
| concepts | Exposure to mold-active antifungals also in: Exposure to mold-active antifungals | concepts[9] | 0.95 | the paper's words |
| concepts | the utility of the GM test also in: the utility of the GM test | concepts[10] | 0.95 | the paper's words |
| concepts | definitions for probable invasive fungal disease | concepts[11] | 0.95 | the paper's words |
| concepts | revised thresholds for galactomannan also in: revised thresholds for galactomannan | concepts[12] | 0.95 | the paper's words |
| concepts | disseminated cryptococcosis also in: disseminated cryptococcosis | concepts[13] | 0.95 | the paper's words |
| concepts | CNS cryptococcosis also in: CNS cryptococcosis | concepts[14] | 0.95 | the paper's words |
| senses | `proven` IFD - histology, culture or a sterile-site specimen. `Can apply to ANY patient, regardless of whether the patient is immunocompromised` - the only one of the three categories that is not restricted by host | senses[0] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| senses | `probable` IFD - a host factor AND a clinical feature AND mycological evidence, `proposed for immunocompromised patients only, except for endemic mycoses`. Expanded in this revision without changing the word | senses[1] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| senses | `possible` IFD - a host factor and a clinical feature with the mycology missing. The category that `attracted controversy` where the other two did not - defined by an absent measurement | senses[2] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| senses | `host factor` - `a characteristic of individuals clearly predisposed to, and not simply at risk of, an IFD`. Impaired gut wall integrity raises the risk of candidiasis and is refused as a host factor for not being specific enough | senses[3] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| senses | `exposure` (endemic mycoses) - `a history of residence in an endemic area, no matter how remote, travel to an endemic area, or contact with fomites such as soil or vegetation`. A criterion with no time limit at all | senses[4] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| alternatives | claim_type: method a second reading reaching the same value. Recorded: method — note: A BLIND second reading by the project on 2026-08-25: the record's own claim type/method/phenomenon were not looked at until every value here was written and substring-verified. Not applied - a person decides. Sampling frame: the 504 staged records carrying no alternatives block, so this never re-measures the 202. All 11 records with 130+ tags were taken as a census and 19 more spread one per discipline across 22 disciplines - the dense non-neuroscience cell is the one the 202 do not contain (inside them, 94-100% of the densest bands are neuroscience; among these 11, one is)., | alternatives.claim_type | 0.65 | the tagger's words |
| alternatives | method: expert-consensus a second reading DIFFERING from the recorded value. Recorded: expert-consensus — note: A BLIND second reading by the project on 2026-08-25: the record's own claim type/method/phenomenon were not looked at until every value here was written and substring-verified. Not applied - a person decides. Sampling frame: the 504 staged records carrying no alternatives block, so this never re-measures the 202. All 11 records with 130+ tags were taken as a census and 19 more spread one per discipline across 22 disciplines - the dense non-neuroscience cell is the one the 202 do not contain (inside them, 94-100% of the densest bands are neuroscience; among these 11, one is)., | alternatives.method | 0.85 | the tagger's words |
| alternatives | phenomenon: the consensus definitions of proven, probable and possible invasive fungal disease a second reading DIFFERING from the recorded value. Recorded: a group of diseases that can rarely be proven in life, so that the categories researchers count are degrees of certainty — note: A BLIND second reading by the project on 2026-08-25: the record's own claim type/method/phenomenon were not looked at until every value here was written and substring-verified. Not applied - a person decides. Sampling frame: the 504 staged records carrying no alternatives block, so this never re-measures the 202. All 11 records with 130+ tags were taken as a census and 19 more spread one per discipline across 22 disciplines - the dense non-neuroscience cell is the one the 202 do not contain (inside them, 94-100% of the densest bands are neuroscience; among these 11, one is)., | alternatives.phenomenon | 0.85 | the tagger's words |
| claim_relations | extends → the 2008 EORTC/MSG consensus definitions, whose three category names this revision keeps and whose contents it changes | claim_relations[0] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| claim_relations | critiques → the 2008 definitions' reliance on the manufacturers' analytical thresholds, their unsuitability for ICU and paediatric patients, and their exclusion of PCR | claim_relations[1] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| claim_relations | extends → the Fungal PCR Initiative's criteria for Aspergillus PCR, which made it possible to admit a test excluded in 2008 for lack of standardisation | claim_relations[2] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| claim_relations | critiques → the use of these definitions to guide treatment - 'specifically intended for these purposes only and not to direct or guide patient care' | claim_relations[3] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| concept_edges | a host factor —distinct-from→ a risk factor the relation itself is separately evidenced · strength of the relation: 0.95 · note: 'There is much confusion about the difference between a host factor and a risk factor. As before, a host factor has been defined as a characteristic of individuals clearly predisposed to, and not simply at risk of, an IFD.' The distinction is specificity, not strength - impaired gut wall integrity 'may increase the risk of candidiasis' and is still refused. simonneau2018 moves splenectomy across this same line in the same year, in a different discipline · the relation stated: a host factor predisposes to the disease; a risk factor merely raises the probability, and the definitions admit only the first also in: a host factor · a risk factor | concept_edges[0] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| concept_edges | a host factor —operationalised-as→ a characteristic of individuals clearly predisposed to, and not simply at risk of, an IFD the relation itself is separately evidenced · strength of the relation: 0.95 · note: 'As before, a host factor has been defined as a characteristic of individuals clearly predisposed to, and not simply at risk of, an IFD.' 'As before' matters: this is the one part of the definition the revision left alone, while the list of things that satisfy it grew · the relation stated: the operational test for a host factor is predisposition rather than elevated risk, which is what keeps common ICU exposures out of the category | concept_edges[1] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| concept_edges | definitions of IFD required for clinical research —distinct-from→ those that influence clinical practice the relation itself is separately evidenced · strength of the relation: 0.95 · note: 'Throughout this process, we have emphasized the need to differentiate between definitions of IFD required for clinical research from those that influence clinical practice. In clinical practice, many would administer an antifungal agent to any patient at risk ... without there being sufficient evidence to satisfy the consensus definitions.' A definition restricted by PURPOSE - the first in the corpus; the others are restricted by population or by evidence base · the relation stated: the research definition is deliberately stricter than clinical behaviour, and the authors say so twice - once at the start and once in the general points | concept_edges[2] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| concept_edges | Exposure to 1 of these fungi —operationalised-as→ a history of residence in an endemic area the relation itself is separately evidenced · strength of the relation: 0.95 · note: 'Exposure to 1 of these fungi is defined as a history of residence in an endemic area, no matter how remote, travel to an endemic area, or contact with fomites such as soil or vegetation that is derived from an endemic area.' The only criterion in the document with no recency bound at all - and it stands in for the host factor, because endemic mycoses 'affect both healthy and less healthy hosts' · the relation stated: for endemic mycoses, exposure is any residence, travel or fomite contact - 'no matter how remote' - which makes a lifetime of geography a diagnostic criterion | concept_edges[3] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| concept_edges | Cryptococcus neoformans —distinct-from→ Cryptococcus gattii the relation itself is separately evidenced · strength of the relation: 0.9 · note: 'Identification to the species level for Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii has become increasingly important based on reports that suggest different clinical presentations, outcomes, and responses to antifungal therapy between these 2 species.' Whether the distinction is worth drawing depends on the host, and the paper prints both answers in one paragraph without a rule for choosing · the relation stated: the two species differ in presentation, outcome and antifungal response, so the definitions now ask for identification - except in HIV, where outcomes look the same and identification 'may be unnecessary'
Audit 2026-09-28: DOUBTFUL - read against its full span and kept, but reports 'suggest' different presentations and outcomes, and the next sentence says outcomes appear similar; hedged. also in: Cryptococcus neoformans · Cryptococcus gattii | concept_edges[4] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| concept_edges | Exposure to mold-active antifungals —causes→ the utility of the GM test direction on the measure: reduces · the relation itself is separately evidenced · strength of the relation: 0.9 · note: 'Exposure to mold-active antifungals compromises the utility of the GM test for IA by reducing its sensitivity. Therefore, caution should be exercised when GM is found to be absent from serum or plasma in patients receiving mold-active antifungals.' The definition depends on a measurement that the standard of care degrades - the high-risk patients on prophylaxis are the ones whose negative result is least informative · the relation stated: antifungal prophylaxis lowers the sensitivity of galactomannan, so a negative test means less in exactly the patients most likely to be tested | concept_edges[5] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| concept_edges | revised thresholds for galactomannan —part-of→ definitions for probable invasive fungal disease the relation itself is separately evidenced · strength of the relation: 0.9 · note: 'EORTC and MSG DEFINITIONS FOR PROBABLE INVASIVE FUNGAL DISEASE NOW INCLUDE solid organ transplant, hematologic malignancy, graft-versus-host disease, the reverse halo sign, revised thresholds for galactomannan, Aspergillus polymerase chain reaction, and definitions for candidiasis, cryptococcosis, ... and endemic mycoses.' This list is what 'no change in the classifications' conceals - the word 'probable' is the same and its contents are not · the relation stated: the probable category now contains new host factors, a new radiological sign, GM thresholds that replace the manufacturer's, and Aspergillus PCR | concept_edges[6] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| concept_edges | disseminated cryptococcosis —contrasted-with→ CNS cryptococcosis the relation itself is separately evidenced · strength of the relation: 0.95 · note: `The term `DISSEMINATED CRYPTOCOCCOSIS` as distinct from CNS cryptococcosis has been abandoned in favor of the terms `PULMONARY,` `CNS` AND `OTHER EXTRAPULMONARY SITES.`` Typed `contrasted-with`: the paper reports the distinction in order to retire it. A term defined as the complement of another is exactly the kind that gets replaced by an enumeration · the relation stated: 'disseminated' existed only as the complement of CNS disease and has been replaced by naming the sites - pulmonary, CNS, other extrapulmonary also in: disseminated cryptococcosis · CNS cryptococcosis | concept_edges[7] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| content_tags | THE LABELS DID NOT CHANGE AND THE CLASSES DID: `no change in the classifications of proven, probable and possible IFD, ALTHOUGH THE DEFINITION OF PROBABLE HAS BEEN EXPANDED AND THE SCOPE OF THE CATEGORY POSSIBLE HAS BEEN DIMINISHED` | content_tags.findings[0] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| content_tags | AND THE DEFINITION IS BOUNDED BY PURPOSE: `specifically intended for these purposes only and not to direct or guide patient care` | content_tags.findings[1] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| content_tags | with no agreement on thresholds, the manufacturers' analytical thresholds were previously adopted | content_tags.findings[2] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| content_tags | 'colonization' with Cryptococcus is no longer included because it is poorly understood and its natural history unknown | content_tags.findings[3] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| content_tags | AND ANOTHER WAS ABANDONED FOR AN ENUMERATION: `the term `DISSEMINATED CRYPTOCOCCOSIS` ... has been abandoned in favor of the terms `PULMONARY,` `CNS` AND `OTHER EXTRAPULMONARY SITES` | content_tags.findings[4] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| content_tags | AND THE FIELD HAD TO WRITE DOWN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A HOST FACTOR AND A RISK FACTOR: `clearly predisposed to, and not simply at risk of, an IFD` - with a worked refusal (impaired gut wall integrity) | content_tags.findings[5] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| content_tags | AND A WORKING GROUP FAILED IN PUBLIC: `group 10 (IFD definitions in ICU patients) was unable to generate recommendations that preserved a level of certainty consistent with the existing definitions` | content_tags.findings[6] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| content_tags | AND THE CLASS WAS EXTENDED TO THE ASYMPTOMATIC: `individuals ... who have few, if any, symptoms and only a positive serum cryptococcal antigen test ... are now included in these definitions` | content_tags.findings[7] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| content_tags | the FPCRI was set up to develop criteria for Aspergillus PCR rather than a standardised method | content_tags.findings[8] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| content_tags | AND THE PAPER NAMES ITS OWN EXCLUSIONS: `We acknowledge the limitations of these definitions, including the exclusion of certain cases of IFD` | content_tags.findings[9] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| content_tags | `a characteristic of individuals clearly predisposed to, and not simply at risk of, an IFD` - the sentence that separates it from `risk factor` also in: host factor | content_tags.definitions[1] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| content_tags | `a history of residence in an endemic area, no matter how remote, travel ..., or contact with fomites such as soil or vegetation` also in: exposure | content_tags.definitions[2] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| content_tags | fungal elements in fixed tissue `signifies proven fungal disease but not the identity of the fungus involved` - proof of the class without the member also in: tissue diagnosis | content_tags.definitions[4] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| content_tags | `The category of proven IFD can apply to any patient, regardless of whether the patient is immunocompromised` | content_tags.quantities[0] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| content_tags | one of the ten - `group 10 (IFD definitions in ICU patients)` - `was unable to generate recommendations` | content_tags.quantities[1] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| content_tags | `there is insufficient evidence to include assays produced by other manufacturers` | content_tags.quantities[2] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| content_tags | the same T2Candida result, the same threshold, two populations - the number that shows why a category has to name its host group | content_tags.quantities[3] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| content_tags | `The PPV increases from 62% among patients with sepsis, shock, or lengths of stay greater than 3-7 days in an ICU to 92% for bone marrow transplant recipients and patients with leukemia who are neutropenic but not receiving any antifungal prophylaxis.` The test is fixed and its meaning is not, which is the whole reason `probable` is restricted to immunocompromised patients | content_tags.statistics[0] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| content_tags | `there was no agreement about appropriate thresholds, so the manufacturers' analytical thresholds were adopted` (2008) -> `Revised thresholds for GM now replace those of the manufacturer` (2019). Eleven years of `probable aspergillosis` counted against a cutoff set by an assay vendor | content_tags.statistics[1] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| content_tags | `Exposure to mold-active antifungals compromises the utility of the GM test for IA by reducing its sensitivity` - so a negative galactomannan means least in the patients most likely to be on prophylaxis | content_tags.statistics[2] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| content_tags | the antigen whose thresholds now differ `for different specimens rather than for different host groups` - a stated choice about what a threshold should be indexed to also in: galactomannan (GM) | content_tags.variables[0] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| content_tags | admitted as evidence of probable IFD in general and refused as evidence of any particular one, `as BDG detection is not specific for any one IFD` also in: (1,3)-beta-D glucan (BDG) | content_tags.variables[1] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
| content_tags | excluded in 2008 `because of lack of standardization and validation`, admitted in 2019 after a body was set up `to develop criteria ... rather than a standardized method per se` also in: Aspergillus PCR | content_tags.variables[2] | 0.95 | the tagger's words |
Tags that could not be placed in the text:
What was deliberately not tagged, and why, is recorded per paper by the tagger. Where a paper has no such record, this page says so rather than implying that nothing was declined.